


for the love of a daughter

by reginaswanmills



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24596524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reginaswanmills/pseuds/reginaswanmills
Summary: it all adds up eventually. regina is sitting with hope, one arm around her to keep from falling, and listening to the child chatter on about her day at school; and the sudden realization hits emma like a ton of bricks.( or, in which emma realizes hope is non-biologically regina’s daughter. )
Relationships: Emma Swan & Hope Swan-Jones, Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Hope Swan-Jones, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 13
Kudos: 114





	for the love of a daughter

**Author's Note:**

> set post final season 
> 
> for the purpose of this story, killian sailed away. emma and regina are classic best friends / domestic partners. neal is two years older than hope. really, i just wanted pure fluff between hope & her moms. also, regina calling hope ‘little one’, & being ultimate momma bear is the cutest!

i. the day emma swan opens her eyes 

She starts to notice it, pay attention to tiny details, more after Hope turns two. She suspects it started long before, and she knows Regina is her unofficial co-parent and definitely favors Hope over the other’s; but, somehow, she doesn’t open her eyes to it until Granny’s birthday bash. 

The woman is far older than anyone in Storybrooke, and she is still busting it down with Henry on the dance floor. It’d been a night of cake and ice cream, and Neal dragging Lucy to all of his favorite booths. After so many years, Emma was overjoyed at the fact that they could still celebrate like old times. 

( Thoughts of, “I invited her,” and Cora framing Regina for Archie’s false murder definitely cross her mind; but, so does weekly lunches and blueberry muffins, grilled cheeses and family dinners. 

She is glad that they still have this. She is glad that they can share this with Hope, and the new generation of heroes. ) 

“Where’s the rugrat?” Ruby slides her a lemonade, leaning over the counter when Emma finally takes a break from dancing. 

She scoffs at the name her best friend had given to her daughter, and scans around the diner quickly. She knows Hope is safe, knows nobody at this party would ever try to harm her; and she should know exactly where her daughter would be. Subconsciously, she knows; but the visual is nice. 

She’s sitting on Regina’s lap, bouncing around and trying to form her own little dance to the music. One of Regina’s arms is around her waist to keep her from toppling over, and her hand is smoothing backs wisps of blonde hair that has fallen from her ponytail. She’d long since abandoned her party hat, and is now gibbering away with Snow seated across from them. 

For a split second, Emma thinks Hope is about to put the salt shaker directly into her mouth, but she sees Regina’s lightning quick reflexes, setting it away from her daughter. She frowns a bit at the pout her baby sports, but it is quickly ridden when Regina kisses her head and hands her the set of toy keys. 

( Regina had always been good with her — everyone had, really. Hope was always being passed around as an infant, taking turns in each person’s arms. She was a light in all their lives, a symbol of their actual hope and faith. ) 

“Over there.” She points to her mother’s booth, turning back with a grin. Ruby’s smirking, as if she knows something Emma doesn’t. “What?” 

She reaches for her drink, bringing the straw to her lips just when her friend speaks. “Regina really is like her second Mom, huh?” 

Emma chokes. ( While there’s no doubt about how close of family Regina is, nobody had ever said that. While Regina is Henry’s Mom, and they are co-parents, Hope has never been part of their co-parenting. At least, not consciously. 

Sure, Hope stays at Regina’s house sometimes — Emma does, too. Sure, Hope had her own room, painted a light pink and yellow, with her own tiny tot bed and stuffed animals galore, and she crawls into Regina’s bed whenever she has a nightmare. 

Sure, Regina has changed diapers, fed her bottles, enforced their timeout procedure, and taught Emma a crap ton about caring for babies. Yet, that doesn’t make Regina her mother. Regina probably doesn’t want more kids. She probably doesn’t want to raise more kids — most certainly not one from the pirate who’d she hated for years, who’d willingly handed her over for torture. ) 

“What?” She nearly gasps, ripping away from her drink. “Ruby, what the hell? Why would you say that?” 

Ruby only rolls her eyes, shrugging. “Don’t act so dramatic, Em. Everyone already knows who she would go to — if, god forbid, something happens to our precious savior.” 

She can’t deny that. “Well. . . That’s because Regina has the most experience. She raised Henry!” 

Ruby’s smirk is back. “What about your Mom?” 

“She has Neal,” Emma’s nose scrunches briefly. “My Mom raising my kid? My baby is not singing to the birds!” 

“What about Henry?” 

“Can we stop talking about my baby leaving me?” She sighs, shooting a glance to where Henry is now twirling Lucy in wide circles. “My son is not raising my daughter. First off, that’s weird. Second, Regina is just the most logical choice. And third,” She glances back again, to see Regina is now standing with Hope on her hip. “Your precious savior is not dying anytime soon!” 

“Okay. Whatever you say, Mama Bear,” Ruby winks, pushing herself back off the counter. “Everyone already thinks you two are hiding something. Come on, Em — look at the way she is with her!” 

When she turns again, Regina is only a few feet away, heading straight towards her, when Hope nearly drops her toy. Keeping one arm securely around her, Regina’s freehand moves quick to catch it before it hits the ground. Hope is giggling, as Regina hands it back, peppering her face with kisses. 

She swears her daughter’s laugh is infectious, because Emma is smiling and Regina is beaming. 

“Hello, my baby!” She reaches out, accepting her daughter into her arms. Regina’s hand doesn’t leave her back until she is settled safely against her Mama, receiving more kisses. “Are you having fun with Gina?” 

Regina laughs softly. Emma’s eyes float to hers. “I think she’s getting a bit tired.” 

Emma glances down at her watch. It’s nearing seven o’clock, and Hope’s nap schedule had gotten all sorts of messed up today. She shifts until Hope’s head is resting on her shoulder, tiny fists bunching into her jacket, and Regina is watching them with her warm brown eyes. 

She turns to tell Ruby that she’ll be back, as soon as they get Hope settled in with the babysitter at the mansion; though, she’s now pouring lemonade out for Leroy, and smirking devilishly when she meets Emma’s eyes. 

\+ 

ii. case of the terrible fours 

Neal is probably the most rowdiest kid in all of Storybrooke. Emma loves her brother. She’d long since worked through most of her abandonment issues, and her acceptance of Henry’s father. It doesn’t stop the slight pang in her chest whenever her parents do something with him that she’d never had any parent do for her; but, now she has her own babies. She has Hope to make those childhood memories with, and Henry understands his mother’s need to latch on for long hugs. 

Her parents are doing good with Neal. Her mother’s time spent working at the elementary school has helped. He is as well-behaved as most young kids can be; though, his temper rivals the one Emma had at that age. 

Regina says she’s never seen anything like it. She says Henry was a quiet child. Surely, he could throw a meltdown or two, but Regina had taught him well. With Hope, who has only just recently entered her terrible two’s, which really aren’t all that terrible, Emma has yet to see her daughter become too enraged. She cries and yells, and once flopped into Regina’s couch and had a full out tantrum for six minutes; but, she is not a violent kid. 

Neal is not a violent kid, either. All kids occasionally kick or push someone over. Though, it seems her brother has found a new source of his mayhem; his nails. 

Emma listens as her mother rants over their weekly breakfast, in which she steals Regina’s half-empty coffee in return for letting her pick at their shared blueberry muffin, and Hope is spending her Saturday morning at the duck pond with Henry; and they listen as Snow goes on about the several scratch marks littering her arm. Regina inputs that Henry once bit her arm at the mere age of three, and Snow only worries more about her son’s antics. 

Over lunch on Tuesday, in which Hope and Regina surprised the Sheriff’s station with Granny’s, Emma listens as her Dad shows his own scratch marks. His eyes go wide when he retells the events of last night’s bedtime, in which Neal had practically turned into a kitty with claws. 

Emma has yet to experience this, despite how much she hangs out with the little guy. 

She doesn’t think it’s bad, until her little girl is crying hard enough to get sick. 

It’s a Friday family dinner at the loft. She, Henry, and her Dad are watching the game on the television; and Hope was playing on the floors with some of Neal’s cars, until his nails dig into her arm, and she is wailing and screaming. Her face is bright red, and Emma doesn’t think she’s moved as fast as when she swoops down to pick her up. 

Neal only starts screeching when her Dad stands to direct him to his timeout corner; and it gets worse when everyone else runs in. Snow, looking downright horrified, and rushing to scold him. Henry is jumping up to direct his wife and daughter back into the kitchen; and Regina is running across the living room, eyes wide. 

She nearly trips over a few toys, but one hand flies to Emma’s back and the other goes to Hope’s. 

“Mama!” Hope is wailing beside her ear. Crocodile tears slip down her flushed cheeks. She isn’t wrapping her arms around Emma’s neck. She’s simply leaning into her hold, her tiny hand covering the red stinging marks on her arm. “Mama!” 

Other than her given title, Emma mostly hears incoherent cries. She hears her brother’s, and her parent’s scolding each other. Her mother is telling her father that he should have kept a better eye on Neal, and her father is defending himself; and Emma feels completely helpless, until she hears Regina’s soothing voice in her ear. 

Her arms has slipped to wrap around Emma’s waist, and she’s rubbing small circles against her hip. “Let’s take her upstairs. Let’s go. She will calm down a bit better without the shouting.” 

She leads the way and Emma follows, holding tightly to her baby. She drops kisses against her head, burying her nose in strawberry shampoo. 

“My baby.” She feels like crying, too. Regina directs them into the upstairs bathroom, instructing Emma to sit on the toilet seat with Hope on her lap. “It’s okay, baby. Mama’s here.” 

Her baby is crying as if she was being murdered or taken away, and Emma feels her heart clench.

There’s nothing she can do. Nothing, except hold her baby close and force her own tears back, and wait for Regina to find the bandaids stashed in the drawer. It breaks her heart, the same way it did whenever Henry was in trouble. She wants desperately to exert her savior powers, to somehow help her daughter to stop crying. 

( “Crying it out is good for her,” Snow had once said. Emma had picked Hope up anyway, soothing her with soft whispers. Too many times had Emma cried alone, and she didn’t want that for her children. ) 

“Okay,” Regina kneels before them, wipe and bandaids at the ready. “Let’s take a deep breath, my little princess.” She talks, though they both know Hope doesn’t understand; yet, somehow, Emma guesses her daughter finds Regina’s voice just as soothing as she does. “You’re going to be just fine, baby.” 

Hope’s screams lessen considerably. With Emma’s arm around her, and Regina’s hand rubbing circles on her back, she begins to breathe a bit easier. Emma feels her baby beginning to relax, to calm down from her very emotional stress day. 

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Emma kisses the top of her head, when Regina pries little fingers away from the scratches on her arm. Hope whines a bit at the cold sting of the wipe, but is placated by Regina’s soft cooing. “Mama should have been watching better.” 

Regina’s eyes shoot up to hers. “Don’t do that. You couldn’t have known your mother’s demon spawn was going to attack.” As much as Emma has seen Regina and Neal bonding, she knows Hope is the number one toddler in both of their lives. 

She tapes the bandaid onto the arm, looking up with a soft smile at the child. Taking hold of tiny fingers, she leans up to pepper kisses onto her tiny cheeks. “Are you all better now, sweetheart?” 

Hope nods, though there is still residue of her tears. They can still hear the faint sounds of Neal’s tantrum, and Emma makes the silent decision to stay where they are for now. So, they sit, with Hope on her lap and Regina right before her. 

( And, when Henry wanders in, the family of four is back together again; and Emma feels Regina’s hand sliding around to rest against her own back. They sit there, listening to Henry telling Hope about the cookie decorating that will be taking place downstairs; and Emma thinks they’ve done right by their kids. ) 

\+ 

iii. babysitting 101 

Emma is an emotional wreck. Surely, Hope has spent the night at Regina’s before. On days she works the night shift, she bounds in just before seven in the morning, when Regina is just waking up to start her coffee, and Hope is passed right out on the bed between pillows. 

She’d spent half the night at her grandparents, before Emma had come to collect her — the result of having to work the night shift, whilst Regina had a very late council meeting. 

Never before had she left her baby for three whole days. It sounds utterly ridiculous, when she openly sobs into Regina’s shoulder, in the way only a hormonal mother would do; but, Regina holds her tight, and rubs her back, and reassures her that Hope will be fine. There’s no one Emma trusts more than Regina. She knows Hope will be perfectly happy; yet, she will be missing both her and Henry, and Regina. 

She will be missing her baby’s smile, her laugh, Wednesday lunches with Henry, and Regina’s homemade apple pie. She will be missing going to the duck pond, and trying to get Hope to eat just a bite of grilled cheese from Granny’s. 

“You’re not going away forever, Emma.” The way Regina says her name is the warmest thing she’s ever heard; and she doesn’t know how or why they stuck so long with her being Miss Swan. “You will be back in three days. Hope will miss you, but she will be fine.” 

“I know,” Emma wipes her face, ridding it of tears, and laughs breathlessly when Regina’s thumb comes up to wipe the strays. “I know. Thank you for doing this.” 

“You know this is her house, too.” Emma nods. She glances over to Hope, sitting on the couch and watching some cartoon. “Don’t get any ideas about moving while you’re there.” 

Emma manages a small smile. That’s just Regina’s way of telling her that she will miss her. 

“Okay, baby,” Stupid Sheriff meetings. Stupid bet she made with Will Scarlett on who would go. “Mama has to leave now, but I’ll be back in three sleeps, okay?” 

Her smart, amazing daughter. Just three years old. Too young to leave for three days. 

Her face must betray her, because the waterworks start in Hope’s eyes, and her lower lip juts out. “Mama!” She reaches her arms out. “Mama, no go!” 

She grants her daughter’s wish, lifting her into her arms and kissing the top of her head. “I know, baby. Mama doesn’t want to go either.” 

She feels her heart clench as her daughter’s tears hit her shirt. She knows from experience that staying longer will only makes things worse. With just one look to Regina, the other knows. Regina always knows. 

She holds out her arms, gesturing to Hope. Emma places a soft kiss to her forehead, before handing her over to Regina. Hope looks wounded, hurt and betrayed. Emma knows that she will get over this by the time she returns, but she can’t help the tug on her heart. 

“Go,” Regina speaks soft but firmly. She sees the tears welling up in Emma’s eyes. “Call when you get there.” Hope’s face is buried in Regina’s cardigan, emitting small whimpers, and Regina only sways and rubs her back. “We will see you in three days, Emma. We love you.” 

It takes a few more moments, but Emma finds her footing before she can fall apart. She grabs her suitcase and makes her way to the Bug. She drives to the town line, knowing Hope will only stare out the window at the Bug, and sitting in front of Regina’s house will prolong everything. Once at the town line, she cries. 

( She gets several texts and calls throughout the day. Once, Regina sends her a picture of Hope wearing adult sized glasses, clearly from Regina’s nightstand. The caption reads — August told me young Miss Swan wore the same kind! 

Emma only laughs, saving the picture to her camera roll. She gushed over how adorable her baby is, before replying with — She gets her bad eyesight from you! Our baby‘s a nerd! 

She doesn’t realize until Regina doesn’t respond. Our baby. Theirs. Their baby. Technically, their second baby. ) 

When she returns on Friday, Hope has made an extensive collections of scribbly colored pictures, and is trailing around in one of Regina’s oversized cardigans. She smells of Regina — sweet and warm and good, and Emma just knows Hope did not sleep in her own bed. 

“Welcome back, Miss Swan,” Regina pokes her head through the doorway, smiling at Emma’s return. “Our baby has made a mess of blueberry pancakes in the kitchen. Care to help clean up?” 

Regina’s voice is teasing, and Emma is really craving pancakes now; but Regina said the words. She said ‘our baby.’ She hoists Hope onto her hip and peppers her face with kisses, and Regina stops her by the doorway with a quick hand on her shoulder. 

“Welcome home, Emma.” 

+

iv. aunt regina 

Aunt Regina. Robyn calls her Aunt Regina. When Zelena says it in reference to Hope, Regina nearly chokes on her tea. When David says it in reference to Hope, Emma spits her coffee back into it’s mug. 

They’re sitting in Granny’s, and Regina is picking at part of Emma’s banana muffin, and Emma doesn’t even try to steal her mug because she doesn’t like tea. Hope settled in a high chair at the end of the table, still too small to reach in a normal chair. 

The conversation is light and good, and Emma thinks that her day is going to be perfect, until Hope starts banging her crayons on the table, and David looks to her with curious eyes. 

“Gina!” She shouts, stumbling a bit over the letters, but it’s clear who she wants. She thrusts a finger out in Regina’s direction. 

David goes to lift her up, furrowing his brow. “You want to sit with Aunt Regina?” 

Emma chokes, on all the sugar and creamer she’d dumped into her coffee. She chokes and Regina’s hand flies to her back, despite her scandalized expression, and she winds up spitting it out back into her mug. Her mother looks disgusted, but her father is just confused. 

“Emma!” Her mother scolds, still not used to her daughter’s lack of table manners. 

Once Emma is able to breathe again, she stares up at Hope and her Dad with a wide-eyed expression. “What did you just call her?” 

“Aunt Regina?” It might just be the first time she’d ever heard that. The first time either of them hear it. 

Regina’s hand is still on her back. Emma feels her tense beside her. She wants to reach out, to assure her that ‘Aunt Regina’ will never be her given title. 

“Is that not what we’re calling you?” Snow asks. Even Hope looks like she’s seen a ghost. 

Emma shakes her head. She reaches beneath the table, to find Regina’s free hand. She clasps it in her own, thumb rubbing assuringly over the back. “Regina is not her aunt.” 

Ruby is her aunt. Belle is her aunt. Elsa is her aunt. Hell, even Ingrid could be her aunt. This town was too connected, and Emma loved that her daughter had such a large amount of people who cared about her. Yet, Regina was not her aunt. Zelena was Hope’s aunt. Regina was Gina. She was Emma’s unofficial co-parent, but not her aunt. Never her aunt. 

“I am Robyn’s aunt,” Regina says, but her tension stays. 

Snow furrows her brow. Emma can already tell her perfect day isn’t so perfect anymore. “You don’t see her as a niece?” 

“I see her as a daughter,” Regina declares. It’s simple and to the point. Emma nearly has a heart attack. She’s just confirmed what Ruby had said. “I see her as Emma’s daughter. As Henry’s sister. I will not be her aunt.” 

Snow looks shocked. David looks shocked. Emma looks shocked. 

“Gina!” The silence is broken when Hope wiggles in Regina’s direction, demanding to be in her arms. 

( “I don’t want you to be Aunt Regina,” Emma tells her, as they sit across from each other on the couch and drink hard cider, long after Henry has went home and Hope has went to bed. “I don’t want you to be her aunt.” 

“Good,” Regina keeps her eyes fixated on the trashy movie that neither of them are actually paying attention to. She brings the glass up to her lips. “I don’t want to be her aunt.” 

Emma reaches for her hand. “You don’t have to.” Regina, conveniently, takes a large sip of her cider. “You’re not. That’s not how we see you.” 

“How do you see me?” So simple and vulnerable. This is Regina putting herself out there. The answer to this could break what they have. 

“A Mom,” She squeezes Regina’s hand. “Regina. I see you as Regina. Not as the Evil Queen. Not as the Good Queen. Just Regina. A Mom to Henry. A very important person to Hope. My best friend. My partner in crime.” 

A smile dances across Regina’s face. “Gina.” That’s what Hope had called her from the beginning. 

Emma nods, her own smile forming. “Gina.” 

+

v. momma bear 

Emma has killed for her children. Regina has killed for her children. Emma is frustrated as all hell, when Hope comes crying about what happened at school, and she wants to give their parents a piece of her mind. Yet, she doesn’t react in front of the child who made her little girl upset. 

Regina, however, has no restraint when it comes to defending their child. She doesn’t target children. She targets the parents, too; but, when she sees it happening herself, she flips like Emma had never seen. 

( It starts with Hope starting her first day of school. They both cried. Emma sobbed in the morning. Regina sobbed in the afternoon, when she realized she wouldn’t be baking afternoon cookies with her little helper or watching Blues Clues on the television. They held each other, hugged each other, comforted each other. 

Just two months into her school career, Emma is pretty sure her daughter is settling nicely. She comes home everyday with a big smile on her face, showing them her artwork and chattering on about her day. 

However, on that eventful Thursday, Hope is not smiling. She is clearly not happy. That much is clear, as she practically runs through the living room to reach the kitchen. Her and Regina were just setting out Hope’s after school snack, when her little girl bursts in, tears spilling down her cheeks. 

Emma immediately looks up at her Mom, who had been picking up both Neal and Hope from school; but, her Mom looks just as helpless. “She just started crying. Neal has no idea.” 

Emma nods. She bends down to her daughter’s level, where Regina is already kneeling. Hope has her tiny hands covering her face, emitting the heartbreaking cries only a four year old could. 

“What happened, baby?” She raises a hand to rest on Hope’s shoulder. If Hope wanted to be hugged, she would have thrown herself at them. As it is, Regina slowly takes her hands away from her face, and Emma rubs her shoulder. 

They wait until only a few tears are slipping down Hope’s face, which Regina catches with her thumb. One look to Regina, and Emma can see that she is on the verge of tears herself. They’re both heartbroken that something could make Hope this upset. So far, she hadn’t had one bad day at school. It was bound to happen sometime; but, Emma expected simple whining and the tired toddler tantrum. She didn’t expect her daughter’s tears to be cold and sad, not frustrated. 

“Can you tell Mama and I what happened?” Somewhere along the way, ‘your Mama’ had simple become ‘Mama.’ 

Hope’s face is flushed. Her little cheeks are red, but she scrubs at them with tiny hands. Her gaze is fixated on Regina, watery and just so, so upset. 

“Gina.” A tiny sob makes Emma’s heart clench dangerously. Regina looks fragile now. “Gina. . . Evil. . . Queen!” Regina’s face falls. Hope is bursting into tears again. Emma can’t stand it this time. She pulls her daughter into a hug, feeling a blonde head find purchase on her shoulder. She uses one hand to rub up and down her back, letting her cry it out until they can hear the full story. 

Though Emma can piece it together with just those few words, Regina has already come to her conclusions. Tears are welling up in her warm brown eyes, and Emma’s free hand goes to her immediately. Too many times had Emma watched Henry call her that, watched the citizens of Storybrooke call her that. Too many times had she needed to defend her, assure her, comfort her. It broke her heart, that someone would ever say that to Hope. 

Even just ‘evil’ in with ‘Gina.’ Emma had warned her friends and family to not bring up all of their pasts while Hope was still young. Little kids were impressionable, and Emma didn’t want her daughter overhearing something that could make her upset.

( When Hope finally calms, she tells the story of how another kid on the playground had been talking about Gina. How the boy had said that his mother had told him Gina used to be the Evil Queen. They didn’t deny it, but they didn’t confirm who she used to be. They explained to Hope that Gina was not the Evil Queen anymore. They even explained how she was called the Good Queen. How she was the mayor, and how she loved Hope very much. 

Once Hope fell asleep, Emma held Regina. She let her cry about the things she hadn’t cried about in so long. She stroked her hair and reminded her of all the good things she had done. She reminded her how far she had come, how much she had changed. ) 

Hope did not come home upset the next day. She came home with a smile. Snow had said she would try to ask around, to figure out who the little boy was, as Hope was not giving away the answer. 

It became clear that Saturday, as they were watching Neal and Hope run around the park. Emma had offered to babysit her brother for a few hours, and Regina had offered a picnic. With the food packed away, they were sitting on the bench, reminiscing of when it used to be her and Henry on the playground, when they heard that bone chilling scream. 

The scream of her child in pain. The scream of her baby getting injured. The scream of Hope being pushed off the swing. 

They shoot up like rockets, taking off toward their sobbing girl. Regina reaches her first, picking her up off the sand, and scanning her over for any major injuries. The scream was a result of fear, terrified of flying through the air. She hasn’t broken any bones, no serious damage was caused; though, Hope cries into Regina’s neck, as Emma looks for the source of the push. 

She finds it in a guilty little boy, who is all but glaring at both Hope and Regina. She then finds his parent, the tall blonde walking across the park, matching his glare. Emma glances to Hope. She knows her baby will be okay with Regina. She knows Regina won’t let her out of her sight until all is settled. 

“Excuse me,” Emma steps forward, motherly instinct fierce. She gestured to the swings and the boy. “It seems we have a few issues with our kids.” 

The woman raises a single brow, crossing her arms. “What ever do you mean?” 

Emma rolls her eyes. This woman was not going to play nice. “Look, we don’t bring up each other’s past for many reasons. Nobody wanted their kid to hear that Ruby was a wolf, or Regina was once the Evil Queen.”

“Sheriff Swan, I realize my son has pushed your daughter, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The aggressive tone in her voice said otherwise. 

However, before Emma could say anything else, the woman was practically rushing to get to her son. Spinning around, Emma’s eyes widened at the sight of Regina talking to the little boy. 

Regina wasn’t the type to be unkind to children. Besides, she had Hope in her arms. 

“You’re not Hope’s Mommy!” The boy shouted. Emma snorted a laugh. Regina would plow down that statement faster than he could say ‘Evil Queen.’ 

“I am one of Hope’s mommies,” Regina adjusted the girl on her hip. The boy’s mother looked shocked. The boy himself looked shock. It was unofficial, and the first time either of them had symbolized it out loud; and Hope didn’t move an inch. She held onto Regina tighter. “It makes her really sad when you say those mean things about her family, and when you push her off the swings. You wouldn’t like it if someone said something mean about your Mommy, would you?” The boy shook his head. “Or if someone pushed you off the swings?” 

The mother put her hand on the boy’s shoulder, guiding him away. He looked just a tad bit frightened, as if talking to the once ‘Evil Queen’ could instill good behavior. Though, Emma was more shocked that he hadn’t been made to apologize. They’d been teaching Hope to apologize if she’d pushed another kid, or made another kid upset. 

“He didn’t say sorry,” Hope mumbled, lifting her head from Regina’s shoulder to look at her. 

Emma smiled softly, stepping close enough to peck her daughter’s nose. “Some people just aren’t as sweet as you, baby.” 

Regina let out a laugh, bending to set Hope back on the ground. Emma waited until she ran off with Neal, laughing wildly and carefree. 

“You’re one of Hope’s mommies, huh?” 

Regina instantly flushed. “Shut up, Miss Swan.” 

+

vi. the big oh-five 

Hope turns five, and it’s a very emotional day for Emma. Emotions of lost time with Henry and how the time flew right by with Hope swirl around her mind, until she is openly sobbing into Regina’s shoulder, tucked away in the kitchen, unseen by the party guests outside. Regina had insisted on turning the mansion into a big backyard blowout — hiring Ruby and Granny to cook, placing Snow on gift duty, and even conjuring up a clown costume for Archie, with which he entertained the kids for a solid twenty minutes. 

Her baby girl is already five. Regina rubs her back and strokes her hair, and doesn’t stop reminding Emma that Hope still needs her, will always need her. Whatever feelings Regina had about their baby growing up were being pushed aside, and she focused her attention on Emma and the birthday girl. She’d baked eighty cupcakes all by herself, topping them with chocolate and vanilla, and Hope had slammed first face into about four of them already. 

By the end of the party, her girl is completely exhausted. She collapses against Regina in a post sugar high, crashing from all of the giggles and excitement and fun. Regina takes her with ease, kissing her forehead and asking what a great time she had. Hope tells her all about it through breathless laughs and incoherent stories, most of which Regina was there for; and Regina listens regardless, as Emma picks up the last of the wrapping paper. They both listen until Hope’s words begin to slow to a murmur, and she’s yawning, and eventually she is half asleep against Regina’s shoulder. 

Emma smiles at the sight. “She really loves you.” 

“She loves you,” Regina chuckles, shaking her head. She brings one finger up to tuck pieces of hair behind her ear. “I’m pretty sure you snuck her that extra cupcake, after I cut her off.” 

It’s teasing and playful, and totally something unofficial co-parents do. Emma’s jaw drops, as she sets down the garbage bag and moves closer. “You gave her two bowls of ice cream! I’m pretty sure you’re the one spoiling her!” 

Regina smiles, bright and warm, even with the sun setting and Hope growing heavy against her. Her free hand inches it’s way across the cushions, to where Emma has plopped down, until fingertips brush against her palm. “We’re doing good.” 

She doesn’t have to elaborate. Emma understands. Emma has known for a long time coming that Hope is Regina’s daughter, too. She is both of their daughter, because Regina loves Hope and Hope loves Regina; and because Regina loves Emma, and Emma loves them both tremendously. 

She leans over, connecting their hands fully, pressing her lips to the top of Hope’s head. “We did good.”

**Author's Note:**

> so many touches between emma and regina. feel free to request anything swan queen, or anything with hope!


End file.
